A first book in American history with European beginnings . he Virginia bank of the Potomac near Washingtonstands Arlington, a beautiful old house with broad porti-coes. In Lees youth this was the home of George Wash-ington Parke Custis, the adopted son of George June evening, two years after Robert Lee had left West Point, Mr. Custissgreat house was aglow witha hundred lights, and strainsof wedding music floated outacross the lawn. Before thealtar stood the bride andgroom, Mary Custis andRobert E. Lee. It wasthrough this marriage thatLee later came into posses-sion of Arlington
A first book in American history with European beginnings . he Virginia bank of the Potomac near Washingtonstands Arlington, a beautiful old house with broad porti-coes. In Lees youth this was the home of George Wash-ington Parke Custis, the adopted son of George June evening, two years after Robert Lee had left West Point, Mr. Custissgreat house was aglow witha hundred lights, and strainsof wedding music floated outacross the lawn. Before thealtar stood the bride andgroom, Mary Custis andRobert E. Lee. It wasthrough this marriage thatLee later came into posses-sion of Arlington. From the time of hismarriage until the outbreakof the Mexican War, Leeremained an army the Mexican Warhe did gallant service. Thewar over, he continued his work as engineer. The year1852 saw him made superintendent of the military academyat West Point. In 1855 Congress formed two new regi-ments of cavalry. As Lieutenant Colonel of one of theseregiments, Lee was sent to Texas, where he was stationeduntil that state seceded from the COMMANDER OF THE CONFEDERATE FORCES In the life of many men there comes a time when theymust choose between two things, both of which theydearly love. That time had now come to Robert E. Lee. 362 ROBERT E. LEE During the beautiful days at Arlington, in the spring of1861, his soul struggled with the choice between loyaltyto the Government under which he had fought and loyaltyto the South. In April, President Lincoln offered him thecommand of the Union army that was being prepared toinvade the South—to invade his own state, his fathersstate, his home. Lee refused the offer and two days latersent in his resignation from the United States army. To his sister in Baltimore he wrote, I have not beenable to make up my mind to raise my hand against myrelatives, my children, my home. Having taken hisstand, Lee went from Washington to Richmond, leavinghis beautiful Arlington to fall into the hands of the North-ern army. In Richmond he
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidfirstbookina, bookyear1921
